4th Ed D&D In London

A Homebrew 4e D&D game

Interlude - Story From Elwanen's Past

Things From the Far Realm

"Attend me, novices.Continuing the cosmological theories we have been studying this year, this month we discuss the realms outside the Orrery of Worlds, those realms sometimes know as the Far Realm."

Huh? Whats that? Have I fallen into a trance from fatigue again? The Eladrin ruefully surveyed the wreckage of his study table, papers strewn on the floor, the candles burnt-out stumps, ink-stained fingers stretching after hours of activity. Very well.. if the demands of the body dictate that this dissertation wait until the morrow, such is Corellons will. Shifting slowly, he assumed a meditation pose, closed his eyes and…. That sound? A scream?

"Known by many names, the Madness Realm, Xoriat, the World beyond the World, the Bleed, the Far Realm is a place beyond our mortal comprehension – perhaps even beyond the understanding of the Gods themselves."

An accident? No other sounds disturbed the night, no alarms, just a single cry and then, silence. Hurrying out of his study into the hall, he could see nothing amiss… again that scream! Coming from further inside the mansion, perhaps the contemplation chamber? Quickly, he moved down the hall, the last vestiges of the trance falling away. Why have no servants, or others of his family come to help? Surely no-one could not hear that scream?

Walking up to the ornate doors of the chamber, a portion of his mind admired the ornate carvings around the door – carved by a great-great-grandfather, hundreds of years ago.. Frowning, he could see discolouration amongst the carvings, reddish, like… Never mind such obsessions – someone needs help – now is not the time to rebuke a servant for their poor cleaning! Pulling the door open, he could see the scene within…

And was engulfed by madness.

"The 'inhabitants'- and I use this term loosely – are extraordinarily alien to us, and even those creatures who make their way from that plane to ours are nigh-incomprehensible. While few verifyable accounts exist, it is clear from thse accounts of scholars of antiquity that those alien creatures – aboleths and ithillidi – do not share the basics of mutual understanding such as the concept of 'I'."

"There are a variety of theories as to the nature of these 'Abberations', whether they are simply extensions of other entities from the Far Realm, with no real free will of their own, or creatures created by the horrific waking dreams of those entities. Others theorise are that these creatures are footsoldiers in a metaphysical sense – the greater their sway in our material world, the closer our world comes to theirs….. ending in our world being subsumed by the Far Realm."

Running, pursued by Things his mind quailed at even categorising, through empty rooms and corridors. Have they taken everyone? Whay was he left? Did they need someone to bear witness?

Crashing through a door brings his wild thoughts to a halt. A dead end, the room was full of servants and children. They had been seeking some sort of shelter from the madness without – and he had led that madness to them.

Turning, he saw the hallway fill with the stuff of nightmares. He looked down at the sword in his hand, with no recollection of drawing it. How could this piece of steel guard these people from the horrors outside?

Corellon, have you forsaken me? All of us?

The creatures advance, their almost inaudible keening promising the most horrific of death-in-life. Surely this is the end. For all of us here. At least we can make it quick, reduce their suffering…. perhaps….

<u>No</u>.

Not like this.

I will not die here to these things.

I will not let them feast on these innocents like they have the others, my….